Lying in an interview

[ChroniC]

It's a dog eat dog world.
If you knew everything there was to know about a certain subject/area of expertise but have no showable experience on paper would you lie if you knew you could get away with it?
Let's say for example it's in a position that wasn't going to get anyone hurt or killed, or anyone to lose any money or something similar.

You could embelish to stand out, would you or even should you because you competition might.

 

[peterwalkley]

Why would you need to lie ? If you get the interviewer to ask questions about the subject matter so you can prove your knowledge, then the shiny bit of paper is pointless.

REAL experience is worth 100 times more than the badge.

 

[zola25]

Personally, no. Many employers now do background checks that include employment history.

If you can prove to the interviewer that you have the knowledge, and can reasonably explain why you have said knowledge but no recorded experience you shouldn't need to lie.

 

[ChroniC]

Personally, no. Many employers now do background checks that include employment history.

If you can prove to the interviewer that you have the knowledge, and can reasonably explain why you have said knowledge but no recorded experience you shouldn't need to lie.

Yes you could prove the knowledge but against a competitor who also have the relevant knowledge and experience on paper, your at a diadvantage regardless of being equally skilled.

 

[Doughnut007]

Don't lie. Whenever interview candidates like any good employer I vet the person very closely prior to offering a position. Any lie other that a little embellishment would probably mean I chose someone else.

 

[Rroff]

Many employers now do background checks that include employment history.

Been the opposite in my experience - however it just isn't worth it - you just set yourself up for being much more easily got rid of if they feel like it - it has been one of the first things to get attention in some places I've worked when they want to get rid of someone.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

It's a dog eat dog world.
If you knew everything there was to know about a certain subject/area of expertise but have no showable experience on paper would you lie if you knew you could get away with it?
Let's say for example it's in a position that wasn't going to get anyone hurt or killed, or anyone to lose any money or something similar.

You could embelish to stand out, would you or even should you because you competition might.

How would someone get to be an SME of X without having any paper evidence of such?

Unless they invented X from first principles in their shed, that's not possible.

 

[ChroniC]

You can be self employed in a job and work and train doing it, but because your aren't in a company with a proven track record it can be difficult to move back into the work place.

 

[Caged]

You can't be an expert on anything without experience in dealing with unintended behaviour of that device or application.

If you've read up on a product and you're running it in a home lab (for example) then that is still relevant experience - but you should be open that it's a home lab. It won't be counted as a negative.

Yes you could prove the knowledge but against a competitor who also have the relevant knowledge and experience on paper, your at a diadvantage regardless of being equally skilled.

You aren't equally skilled. Knowledge and experience aren't separable like that, they both combine to improve your skillset.

 

[ChroniC]

You can't be an expert on anything without experience in dealing with unintended behaviour of that device or application.

If you've read up on a product and you're running it in a home lab (for example) then that is still relevant experience - but you should be open that it's a home lab. It won't be counted as a negative.

I have been working in the particular field now for 5 years, but my cv has only 2 or 3years previous experience in fields which were of a lesser level. I choose to go it alone, and now for job security in a tight market, etc I am looking to go back into employment.
This hasn't boded well as people who have come from other companies are getting preferencial treatment, even though techincally they have the same or less experience, but have it down on paper.

It's annoying and what do I have to lose to embelish the truth, and just deal with it later if it happens.
A bit like an olympic athlete. Take every advatage I can in this world as someone else wil.

 

[datalol-jack]

Here's a simple, pragmatic reason to avoid 'lying' at interviews (with sales, marketing and related peripheries being somewhat of a grey area): lies, however simple they may first appear, and even if you have skills and knowledge to pull them off, need to be maintained for at least the duration of your tenure with a given employer, longer if they're big lies impacting your entire career record. (Just think about what that would entail for a moment.) Needless to say that even downright sociopaths slip up eventually; run-of-the-mill IT guys slip up sooner and are ordinarily worse at keeping the game up. Let your work, portfolio, referees and home lab experiments speak for themselves, and go from there.

As people keep highlighting in these threads: the vast majority of job and personal specs are crud -- the ideal candidate; during selection, assessment centre and interview you aren't expected to meet 100% of them, nor, indeed, either's ever complete anyway.

 

[Caged]

I have been working in the particular field now for 5 years, but my cv has only 2 or 3years previous experience in fields which were of a lesser level. I choose to go it alone, and now for job security in a tight market, etc I am looking to go back into employment.
This hasn't boded well as people who have come from other companies are getting preferencial treatment, even though techincally they have the same or less experience, but have it down on paper.

It's annoying and what do I have to lose to embelish the truth, and just deal with it later if it happens.
A bit like an olympic athlete. Take every advatage I can in this world as someone else wil.

I guess I fundamentally disagree with your claim that because you've been doing a less advanced version of something that you swear you know all about for three years and have worked around that thing for five years, that you bring the same skills to the table as somebody who has been actively using these skills at the advanced level for five years.

Just be honest, nobody is going to mark you down for knowing where your field progresses from the point you're at now, but they'll be able to see right through a claim of having more experience at a higher level than you possess. I don't disagree with the idea of applying for the job you want rather than the one you're qualified for, but that revolves more around taking a punt and hoping that a recruiter can see what you're getting at, and less about making a claim that you can't back up.

 

[shaf]

I remember an interview I had where I was asked about a particular skill which I did not posses. I could have lied but instead said that it was not one of main strengths and if they wanted someone with that as their primary skill then that person was not me.

The lady said she like my honesty. I got the job.

Honesty is the best policy.

 

[ChroniC]

I guess I fundamentally disagree with your claim that because you've been doing a less advanced version of something that you swear you know all about for three years and have worked around that thing for five years, that you bring the same skills to the table as somebody who has been actively using these skills at the advanced level for five years.

Just be honest, nobody is going to mark you down for knowing where your field progresses from the point you're at now, but they'll be able to see right through a claim of having more experience at a higher level than you possess. I don't disagree with the idea of applying for the job you want rather than the one you're qualified for, but that revolves more around taking a punt and hoping that a recruiter can see what you're getting at, and less about making a claim that you can't back up.

I think you misread my post.
I haven't been working around it, I have been doing it and more. I choose to become freelance and work contracted at home doing the same thing as people in an office/agency and thus i have accrewed more skills by self teaching through necessity to make money. However that is not appreciated when someone can say they have worked in that particular position for a particular company. I have found.

 

[Caged]

So what was the 'lie' you were planning to tell? That you'd been doing it for a company?

Nobody should really care whether your experience has come from working internally at a company or through contracting (outside of if they were recruiting you to be a consultant and therefore would find those skills relevant). Are you receiving feedback that people specifically want experience in an employed role? If not I'd suggest that perhaps they feel you'd need more time to adjust to working for someone else than they are prepared to spend.

 

[Housey]

It's a dog eat dog world.
If you knew everything there was to know about a certain subject/area of expertise but have no showable experience on paper would you lie if you knew you could get away with it?
Let's say for example it's in a position that wasn't going to get anyone hurt or killed, or anyone to lose any money or something similar.

You could embelish to stand out, would you or even should you because you competition might.

No. I would find a way to demonstrate my ability. Stating you know everything there is to know about something isn't, I suggest, something that will endear you to people you seek to employ you.

 

[ChroniC]

No. I would find a way to demonstrate my ability. Stating you know everything there is to know about something isn't, I suggest, something that will endear you to people you seek to employ you.

Of course it's not. I haven't been doing that, but it also means thats the exact reason I can't find the advantage over those with the badge of honor from a position with a reputable competitor. Finding that way to demonstrate that ability is always overshadowed by myself being the employer, when having the same skills as the person they choose to employ. :/

So what was the 'lie' you were planning to tell? That you'd been doing it for a company?

Nobody should really care whether your experience has come from working internally at a company or through contracting (outside of if they were recruiting you to be a consultant and therefore would find those skills relevant). Are you receiving feedback that people specifically want experience in an employed role? If not I'd suggest that perhaps they feel you'd need more time to adjust to working for someone else than they are prepared to spend.

It seems to be a roadblock from employment agencies and in a fair amount of interviews, they shoudln't care but for some reason they do. Maybe they see freelancing as unregisterable proof.
I know my previous employer from many years ago very well. I know he would be happy to just agree with whatever I choose to tell them of the positions held.

 

[Housey]

Of course it's not. I haven't been doing that, but it also means thats the exact reason I can't find the advantage over those with the badge of honor from a reputable competitor.

Have you shared this concern with the people you seek employment with and offered them a method to demonstrate your knowledge or addressed this point with them directly. Lying is not the basis to start a new role, it will catch you out.

 

[Caged]

Presumably then it follows that the lie you plan to tell is to either say you worked for one of these reputable employers, or to overstate your experience. I'd say both are very risky paths to go down though obviously the first is impossible to ever succeed at because it can be disproved in a phone call.

This is without considering that the people looking at taking you on for a role may see value in the other candidates that have the experience working for the same sorts of companies that they are recruiting for. I think dismissing the relevance of that experience is a mistake.

 

[Caged]

It seems to be a roadblock from employment agencies and in a fair amount of interviews, they shoudln't care but for some reason they do. Maybe they see freelancing as unregisterable proof.
I know my previous employer from many years ago very well. I know he would be happy to just agree with whatever I choose to tell them of the positions held.

How do you talk about your experience with the recruiters? Presumably you describe the clients you worked for - "large digital content producer" or whatever, and then are prepared to discuss this actual meat of the project and the client in more detail (obviously depending on contract terms) if required?

If you are doing that and still people are overlooking you then I can't really help but think there's something else that is making them uneasy. Have you had any feedback at all?